I review and draft a lot of contracts. Many of these agreements are in the ag technology space, which presents unique drafting challenges.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued its Federal Automated Vehicles Policy. Although this policy applies solely to on-road vehicles, CNH’s recent introduction of a concept autonomous tractor suggests that NHTSA’s policy may have agricultural implications too.

Editor’s note: A similar article originally appeared in Progressive Dairyman’s sister publication – Progressive Cattleman – in the January 2014 issue. Imagine a future where a dairy farmer can use an autonomous drone to fly out to a pasture miles from the homestead to check on his replacement heifers.

The following excerpt is from Todd Janzen’s blog. Janzen is an attorney and partner at the law firm of Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP. http://janzenlaw.blogspot.com/ I thought it would be helpful to spend a few minutes looking back at the Top 5 Indiana ag stories from 2011: 1. Major CAFO ruling against the EPA. In March, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decided National Pork Producers Council v. EPA. The case was a landmark decision affecting the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to regulate concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). 2. Indiana implements animal care standards. The Indiana Board of Animal Health (BOAH) adopted new animal care standards for Indiana farmers. 3. New confined feeding operation regulations. November brought new regulations for confined feeding operations (CFOs) in Indiana. Among the many new provisions that are controversial are prohibitions against manure application on frozen or snow-covered ground. 4. Continued tension between EPA and American agriculture. Nearly everyone by now has heard about the EPA’s involvement in the Chesapeake Bay area. But the EPA’s regulators were also busy outside of the bay area, imposing fines on Midwestern CAFOs.5. New child labor restrictions shock the ag community. When the Department of Labor rolled out new proposed restrictions on child labor, it faced a firestorm of criticism from farmers and ag industry groups. PD Click here to see the full post.